Emmanuel Lubezki facts for kids

Emmanuel Lubezki Morgenstern (born November 30, 1964) is a famous Mexican cinematographer. A cinematographer is the person in charge of how a movie is filmed. They decide on the lighting, camera angles, and how each shot looks.

Lubezki is known for using natural light, like sunlight, in his films. He also likes to use very long, continuous shots without cuts. To do this, he often uses special camera tools like a Steadicam or a 3-axis gimbal. These tools help the camera move smoothly.

He often works with well-known directors like Terrence Malick, Alfonso Cuarón, and Alejandro González Iñárritu.

Lubezki has won many awards for his work. He made history by winning the Academy Award for Best Cinematography three times in a row! He won for the films Gravity (2013), Birdman (2014), and The Revenant (2015). He was also nominated for an Oscar for A Little Princess (1995) and Children of Men (2006).

He is a member of important groups for cinematographers in both Mexico and the United States. In 2016, he received the Lumière Award for his amazing achievements in filmmaking.

Early Life and Education

Emmanuel Lubezki was born in Mexico City, Mexico, into a Jewish family. His father, Muni Lubezki, was an actor and producer. His grandparents came from Lithuania and Russia.

Lubezki studied film at a special school in Mexico called the Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos (CUEC). This is where he first met the director Alfonso Cuarón, who would become a frequent collaborator.

Amazing Career in Film

Lubezki started his career in the late 1980s, working on Mexican movies and TV shows. His first international film was Twenty Bucks in 1993. This movie followed the journey of a single twenty-dollar bill.

He has worked with many famous directors. These include Tim Burton, Mike Nichols, and the Coen brothers.

Working with Alfonso Cuarón

Lubezki often works with his friend, Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón. They have been friends since they were teenagers and went to the same film school.

Together, they have made six movies. Some of their well-known collaborations include A Little Princess, Children of Men, and Gravity.

Their work on Children of Men (2006) was highly praised. They used new technologies and special techniques for this film. For example, a scene with a roadside ambush was filmed in one long shot. They used a special camera rig that allowed the camera to move all around inside a car.

Children of Men also has a seven-and-a-half-minute battle scene that looks like one continuous shot. It was actually made from about five smaller shots that were seamlessly edited together.

Oscar-Winning Films

Lubezki won his first Academy Award for Best Cinematography for Gravity (2013). This movie is a thriller set in outer space. People loved how the film combined real shots with digital backgrounds to make space scenes look like one long, continuous take.

The very next year, Lubezki won his second Oscar for Birdman. This film also used a similar technique. The entire movie was filmed to appear as if it was one continuous, uninterrupted shot.

In 2015, Lubezki won the Oscar again for The Revenant. This was a huge achievement! He became the first cinematographer to win three Academy Awards in a row.

The Revenant was filmed entirely outdoors in very cold weather. Lubezki used only natural light, like sunlight, and very little computer-generated imagery (CGI). This made the filming process very difficult. They had limited time to shoot each scene, which caused delays. However, the film was a huge success and was praised for its realistic look.

Filmography

Here are some of the films and TV shows Emmanuel Lubezki has worked on.

Short Films

Feature Films

Television Work

Awards and Nominations

Lubezki has been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the group that gives out the Oscars) for these films:

• 68th Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Cinematography, A Little Princess (1995)
• 72nd Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Cinematography, Sleepy Hollow (1999)
• 79th Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Cinematography, Children of Men (2006)
• 86th Academy Awards: Won Best Cinematography, Gravity (2013)
• 87th Academy Awards: Won Best Cinematography, Birdman (2014)
• 88th Academy Awards: Won Best Cinematography, The Revenant (2015)

See Also

In Spanish: Emmanuel Lubezki para niños

• Cinema of Mexico